Food Crises: Nigeria named among countries facing acute hunger

Ukpono Ukpong, Abuja

Nigeria has been named among the eight countries having two-third of their population as those facing acute hunger.

This was contained in a report jointly presented yesterday by the European Union (EU), the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and the UN World Food Programme (WFP).

The report also disclosed that about 113 million people facing food crises is down slightly from the 124 million figure for 2017.

“The number of people in the world facing food crises has remained well over 100 million in the last three years and the number of countries affected has risen.

Moreover, an additional 143 million people in another 42 countries are just one step away from facing acute hunger.

“Nearly two-thirds of those facing acute hunger are in just eight countries; Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Nigeria, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria and Yemen. In 17 countries, acute hunger either remained the same or increased,” the report said.

The FAO Director-General, José Graziano da Silva, said though it was clear from the global report that despite a slight drop in 2018 in the number of people experiencing acute food insecurity (the most extreme form of hunger) the figure is still far too high.

“We must act at scale across the humanitarian-development-peace nexus to build the resilience of affected and vulnerable populations. To save lives, we also have to save livelihoods,” said Silva.

Also, the WFP Executive Director, David Beasley said that for the fight against hunger to succeed, the root causes must be attacked.

He also described the report’s findings as a powerful call for strengthened cooperation that links together prevention, preparedness and response to address urgent humanitarian needs and root causes, which include climate change, economic shocks, conflict and displacement.

It further highlights the need for a unified approach and action across the humanitarian and development dimensions of food crises, and for more investment in conflict mitigation and sustainable peace.

“To truly end hunger, we must attack the root causes; conflict, instability and the impact of climate shocks.

Boys and girls need to be well-nourished and educated, women need to be truly empowered, rural infrastructure must be strengthened in order to meet that zero hunger goal.

“Programmes that make a community resilient and more stable will also reduce the number of hungry people.

And one thing we need world leaders to do as well; step up to the plate and help solve these conflicts, right now,” said Beasley.

On his part, the EU Commissioner for International Cooperation and Development, Neven Mimica, said “food insecurity remains a global challenge.

That’s why, from 2014 to 2020, the EU will have provided nearly €9 billion for initiatives on food and nutrition security and sustainable agriculture in over 60 countries.

“Today’s global report highlights the need for a strengthened cooperation between humanitarian, development and peace actors to reverse and prevent food crises. A stronger global network can help deliver change on the ground for the people who really need it.”

Similarly, the EU’s Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management, Christos Stylianides, said “food crises continue to be a global challenge, which requires our joint efforts. The EU continues to step up its humanitarian efforts.

“Over the last three years, the EU allocated the biggest humanitarian food and nutrition assistance budget ever, with nearly EUR 2 billion overall.

Food crises are becoming more acute and complex and we need innovative ways to tackle and prevent them from happening.

The global report provides a basis to formulate the next steps of the global network by improving our coordination mechanisms.”